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I deeply regret buying my LG. Originally the plan was to never connect it to wifi, and use an external device (chromecast, apple tv, or whatever) but my wife wa

I deeply regret buying my LG. Originally the plan was to never connect it to wifi, and use an external device (chromecast, apple tv, or whatever) but my wife was too excited to try out whatever features. Unfortunately we can't sell the TV for anywhere what we paid for it new (to replace it with a different brand) so we're stuck with it for another ~7-10 years, or whatever the standard TV replacement interval is these days. New "apps" keep showing up on the main screen, which I have to "delete" from the main screen once a month or so (they're not deleted, they're just undeletable apps in some massive library of preinstalled spyware we can fortunately mostly hide). Apparently Sony OLED screens are LG "glass" but without the spyware.

literallyroy 4d ago
Why not reset it
dessimus 4d ago
>Apparently Sony OLED screens are LG "glass" but without the spyware. Without independent verification from someone like GN, I wouldn't trust "we installed rootkits" Sony not to be spying too.
- wmf 4d ago
  Since Sony TVs run Android at least you can probably use ADB to remove a lot of junk.
  - nottorp 4d ago
    ... if they're rootable ...
    - ihsw 4d ago
      ... if they're rootable without the ability for Sony to revoke that rootability ...
    - hn92726819 4d ago
      You can actually do a lot without root sometimes. You can revoke permissions and disable apps.
forestry 4d ago
What’s stopping you from disconnecting it from wifi mow?
- fwip 4d ago
  This is also my question, but I suppose the answer could be that we don't trust LG to actually forget the wifi password (and not use it surreptitiously later). You could also change the wifi info, but that might mean changing a whole lot of devices (including wife's and kids).
  - mapontosevenths 4d ago
    The gamers nexus thing touched on this.. Apparently some ignore that choice and connect to open wifi or something like Comcasts modem hijacking wifi.
    - nickthegreek 3d ago
      they stated it technical could. not that they have evidence of that happening.
      - lambdaone 3d ago
        Technically, they could do a whole bunch of things, including doing multihop routing via other connected televisions or insecure WiFi networks. There's no evidence that they do this, as far as I know, but also no reason why they couldn't do this in the future if they wanted to.
      - mapontosevenths 3d ago
        You're right. I think I conflated allegations in the comments with the actual claims made in the Youtube video. GM did show that the devices scan for open wifi networks, and users in the comments have claimed that it connects without their permission. Gamers nexus did not make that claim about them actually connecting though.
  - 4d ago
MattTheRealOne 4d ago
Sony uses Google TV. Doesn't inspire trust as far as spying and data collection goes.
- qlte 3d ago
  Google TV Basic Mode is the easiest way to get a "dumb" TV, it's the first thing you're asked when you setup for the first time and works like you'd expect.
- Marsymars 4d ago
  My Sony with Google TV is pretty good in "Basic Mode" without an internet connection though.
jeffbee 4d ago
It feels like there must be multiple completely different implementations of LG OLED TVs. I would not say that my LG has a "main screen" of any kind. When I turn mine on it shows the last input that had been used or, if that thing is off, it shows the bouncy egg and "No Signal". If I press the button on the remote that says RECENTS and has a picture of a house on it, which I guess is the "main screen", it maintains the bouncy egg but shows a ribbon of apps on the bottom. Those are my installed apps: Hulu, Prime, Peacock, YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV, and Disney+ happen to be today's recents. Where is this "main screen" where unbidden appvertisements arise?
- reaperducer 4d ago
  Hulu, Prime, Peacock, YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV, and Disney+ happen to be today's recents. Where do you find the time to post on HN?
  - qlte 3d ago
    Recents as of today
  - jeffbee 4d ago
    Those are just all of the apps I used in 9 years in the order that I last opened them.
- schlarpc 4d ago
  That ribbon got slammed full of advertisements at some point, last I knew.
  - jeffbee 4d ago
    Mine has been strictly MRU forever. When I look at this video, it does not resemble the software on my LG OLED TV at all. There must be several platforms or generations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8atmvE0ArA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8atmvE0ArA
    - 4d ago
kelipso 4d ago
Disconnect it from the internet, buy a streaming device, and use the streaming device. It’s really not that complicated. If you want a bit complicated, you can probably unscrew the back panel and remove the wifi card.
- sumedh 4d ago
  > It’s really not that complicated. You can do that no the average joe.
- sixothree 4d ago
  Can we really trust it to honor your request to stop using the internet? After hearing them speak on this subject, I have my doubts it will honor your request so quickly and easily.
  - VCFundedGenYer 3d ago
    You can't change the laws of physics. If it isn't connected to the network, it can't communicate.
emmelaich 4d ago
Buy a cast/apple tv anyway and then reset the LG screen to factory. Is that an option?
dubyah 4d ago
As others have said, cut off access and/or factory reset it. My LG has never been granted net access, firmware upgrades through USB drives, and streaming through Onn 4K box(w/ a 3rd party launcher) and Apple TV. No surprise ads, apps, or anything.
- sethops1 4d ago
  What do you get from upgrading the firmware? I have a 10 yo smart tv that I simply treated as a dumb tv. Works fine.
  - phil21 4d ago
    Mostly bug fixes relevant to higher end home theatre setups. Typically bleeding edge stuff where a TV is released before a new HDMI spec is fully baked or whatnot. One of my older OLED panels needed a number of updates to get proper Dolby Vision profile support a few years back. Typically not all that relevant most of the time to the average consumer, but if you’re having a persistent annoyance it’s worth looking through release notes from time to time. This ignores that the vast majority of consumers actually use the smart tv features like the Netflix app. Then updates start to become far more relevant and eventually mandatory.
  - wincy 4d ago
    I updated my LG C5 firmware via USB and my Nintendo Switch 2 now says “Switch 2” on the home page instead of “Unknown Device”. So that’s nice I guess. Also it seemed to fix something with the 120hz HDR 10:10:10 signal when connected to my PC if I recall correctly that before resulted in poor image quality.
  - VCFundedGenYer 3d ago
    I have a TCL TV where a recent firmware update actually fixed up some Arc power settings and a few other things. I only connect the TV to update it once every 6 months, and as soon as the update is done, it gets unplugged from the network again.
kmfrk 4d ago
Sony TVs are handled by TCL now, so time will tell how Sony-branded models act (up) in the future. https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/sony-just-handed-its-tv-business-to-tcl-heres-what-it-means-for-you https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/sony-just-handed-its-tv-busine...
nullify88 4d ago
I have a Sony A95K and have kept it in basic mode because I have a shield I like to game and stream from. The sony is very minimal and out the way, and after many software updates hasn't offered me any ads, or programs to run even while connected to WiFi. However if you run Android, you have to accept some level of snooping.
chanux 4d ago
Excuse me, YOUR LG?
jbaiter 3d ago
You can root it and put it behind a PiHole or the like, that should allow you to get rid of the worst offenders. https://www.webosbrew.org/rooting/ https://www.webosbrew.org/rooting/

literallyroy 4d ago

Why not reset it

dessimus 4d ago

>Apparently Sony OLED screens are LG "glass" but without the spyware. Without independent verification from someone like GN, I wouldn't trust "we installed rootkits" Sony not to be spying too.

wmf 4d ago
Since Sony TVs run Android at least you can probably use ADB to remove a lot of junk.
- nottorp 4d ago
  ... if they're rootable ...
  - ihsw 4d ago
    ... if they're rootable without the ability for Sony to revoke that rootability ...
  - hn92726819 4d ago
    You can actually do a lot without root sometimes. You can revoke permissions and disable apps.

forestry 4d ago

What’s stopping you from disconnecting it from wifi mow?

fwip 4d ago
This is also my question, but I suppose the answer could be that we don't trust LG to actually forget the wifi password (and not use it surreptitiously later). You could also change the wifi info, but that might mean changing a whole lot of devices (including wife's and kids).
- mapontosevenths 4d ago
  The gamers nexus thing touched on this.. Apparently some ignore that choice and connect to open wifi or something like Comcasts modem hijacking wifi.
  - nickthegreek 3d ago
    they stated it technical could. not that they have evidence of that happening.
    - lambdaone 3d ago
      Technically, they could do a whole bunch of things, including doing multihop routing via other connected televisions or insecure WiFi networks. There's no evidence that they do this, as far as I know, but also no reason why they couldn't do this in the future if they wanted to.
    - mapontosevenths 3d ago
      You're right. I think I conflated allegations in the comments with the actual claims made in the Youtube video. GM did show that the devices scan for open wifi networks, and users in the comments have claimed that it connects without their permission. Gamers nexus did not make that claim about them actually connecting though.
- 4d ago

MattTheRealOne 4d ago

Sony uses Google TV. Doesn't inspire trust as far as spying and data collection goes.

qlte 3d ago
Google TV Basic Mode is the easiest way to get a "dumb" TV, it's the first thing you're asked when you setup for the first time and works like you'd expect.
Marsymars 4d ago
My Sony with Google TV is pretty good in "Basic Mode" without an internet connection though.

jeffbee 4d ago

It feels like there must be multiple completely different implementations of LG OLED TVs. I would not say that my LG has a "main screen" of any kind. When I turn mine on it shows the last input that had been used or, if that thing is off, it shows the bouncy egg and "No Signal". If I press the button on the remote that says RECENTS and has a picture of a house on it, which I guess is the "main screen", it maintains the bouncy egg but shows a ribbon of apps on the bottom. Those are my installed apps: Hulu, Prime, Peacock, YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV, and Disney+ happen to be today's recents. Where is this "main screen" where unbidden appvertisements arise?

reaperducer 4d ago
Hulu, Prime, Peacock, YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV, and Disney+ happen to be today's recents. Where do you find the time to post on HN?
- qlte 3d ago
  Recents as of today
- jeffbee 4d ago
  Those are just all of the apps I used in 9 years in the order that I last opened them.
schlarpc 4d ago
That ribbon got slammed full of advertisements at some point, last I knew.
- jeffbee 4d ago
  Mine has been strictly MRU forever. When I look at this video, it does not resemble the software on my LG OLED TV at all. There must be several platforms or generations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8atmvE0ArA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8atmvE0ArA
  - 4d ago

kelipso 4d ago

Disconnect it from the internet, buy a streaming device, and use the streaming device. It’s really not that complicated. If you want a bit complicated, you can probably unscrew the back panel and remove the wifi card.

sumedh 4d ago
> It’s really not that complicated. You can do that no the average joe.
sixothree 4d ago
Can we really trust it to honor your request to stop using the internet? After hearing them speak on this subject, I have my doubts it will honor your request so quickly and easily.
- VCFundedGenYer 3d ago
  You can't change the laws of physics. If it isn't connected to the network, it can't communicate.

emmelaich 4d ago

Buy a cast/apple tv anyway and then reset the LG screen to factory. Is that an option?

dubyah 4d ago

As others have said, cut off access and/or factory reset it. My LG has never been granted net access, firmware upgrades through USB drives, and streaming through Onn 4K box(w/ a 3rd party launcher) and Apple TV. No surprise ads, apps, or anything.

sethops1 4d ago
What do you get from upgrading the firmware? I have a 10 yo smart tv that I simply treated as a dumb tv. Works fine.
- phil21 4d ago
  Mostly bug fixes relevant to higher end home theatre setups. Typically bleeding edge stuff where a TV is released before a new HDMI spec is fully baked or whatnot. One of my older OLED panels needed a number of updates to get proper Dolby Vision profile support a few years back. Typically not all that relevant most of the time to the average consumer, but if you’re having a persistent annoyance it’s worth looking through release notes from time to time. This ignores that the vast majority of consumers actually use the smart tv features like the Netflix app. Then updates start to become far more relevant and eventually mandatory.
- wincy 4d ago
  I updated my LG C5 firmware via USB and my Nintendo Switch 2 now says “Switch 2” on the home page instead of “Unknown Device”. So that’s nice I guess. Also it seemed to fix something with the 120hz HDR 10:10:10 signal when connected to my PC if I recall correctly that before resulted in poor image quality.
- VCFundedGenYer 3d ago
  I have a TCL TV where a recent firmware update actually fixed up some Arc power settings and a few other things. I only connect the TV to update it once every 6 months, and as soon as the update is done, it gets unplugged from the network again.

kmfrk 4d ago

Sony TVs are handled by TCL now, so time will tell how Sony-branded models act (up) in the future. https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/sony-just-handed-its-tv-business-to-tcl-heres-what-it-means-for-you https://www.tomsguide.com/tvs/sony-just-handed-its-tv-busine...

nullify88 4d ago

I have a Sony A95K and have kept it in basic mode because I have a shield I like to game and stream from. The sony is very minimal and out the way, and after many software updates hasn't offered me any ads, or programs to run even while connected to WiFi. However if you run Android, you have to accept some level of snooping.

chanux 4d ago

Excuse me, YOUR LG?

jbaiter 3d ago

You can root it and put it behind a PiHole or the like, that should allow you to get rid of the worst offenders. https://www.webosbrew.org/rooting/ https://www.webosbrew.org/rooting/